Occupational Health

and Safety
(OHS)

What is OH&S?
Is defined as the promotion and maintenance of the
highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being
of workers in all occupations.
Prevention among its workers of any departures from
health caused by their working conditions.
Protection among workers in their employment from risk
usually from factors adverse to health
Placing and maintenance of the worker in an
occupational environment adapted to his/her
physiological ability.

 Why knowledge in occupational hea

lth and safety is important?
What are the benefits of knowing,
understanding and applying OHS p
rocedure?

Hazards and Risks

Ahazardis any source of potential
damage, harm or adverse health effects
on something or someone under certain
conditions at work. Basically, a hazard
can cause harm or adverse effects (to
individuals as health effects or to
organizations as property or equipment
losses).
Ahazardis something that can cause
harm, e.g. electricity, chemicals, working
up a ladder, noise, a keyboard, a bully at
work, stress

The potential of a substance, person, activity or

process to cause harm (injury or illness)
CATEGORIES OF HAZARD

Safety anything or condition that can cause physical

injury
Health any infective agent, substance situation or
condition that directly attacks the body tissues causing
occupational illness
Environment any pollution, waste including noise in
any form or quantity that impairs the quality of the
working environment, such as dust, smoke, gases,

TWO MAIN CLASSES

Natural (geological) a threat of a naturally occurring

event that will have a negative effect on people or the
environment. (flood, lightening, wildfires, earthquake, soil
erosion, high winds, hurricanes, volcanic eruption, sink
holes, tsunami, drought, famine, heat waves, climate
change
Manmade - (sociological) threats having an element of
human intent, negligence, or error; or involving a failure of
a human-made system. It results in huge loss of life and
property. It further affects a person's mental, physical and

OTHER CLASSES OF HAZARD

Technology
A hazard originating from technological or industrial
conditions, including accidents, dangerous procedures,
infrastructure failures or specific human activities, that may
cause loss of life, injury, illness or other health impacts,
property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and
economic disruption, or environmental damage.
Structural collapse - Communication fallouts Transportation Electrical fallouts (explosions and
outages) - Nuclear fallouts
CBRN warfare (chemical, biological, radiation and

 Behavioral This is a reaction by a person subjected to

specific conditions of work and materials which result in
physical harm (health and injury). How people behave at
work can create hazardous conditions.
Irresponsible behavior (horseplay, pranks,
etc.,)
Leaving objects in pathways that causes
obstruction and tripping
Running and rushing to different points about
the workplace
Using hazardous substances dangerously and
carelessly

Specifics of hazards
Physical doors, stairs, platforms, ladders, fire, falling
objects, manual handling, noise, vibration, temperature,
radiation, lighting, air quality.
Mechanical electricity, machinery, equipment, pressure
vessels, dangerous goods, forklifts, cranes
Chemical chemical substances, liquids, cleaning
agents, dust and fumes from processes, acids, poisons,
dangerous substances

Specifics of hazards

Biological bacteria, viruses, pathogens, mold,

mildew, insects, vermin, fungi, animals
Psychological workplace stressors, ergonomics,
strain, overexertion

Risk is a likelihood of harm in

defined circumstances.
Ariskis the chance, high or low,
that anyhazardwill actually
cause somebody harm.

Understandi
ng Hazards
and Risk
Want more?

Identifying Hazards
Slips, Trips and Falls
this kind of hazards may perhaps be the most common of
all whether you are working in an office or in an construction
site or other heavy industry job site. Common causes
contributing to this hazards are:
Tripping are wires running down near or through the
walkways or aisle, frayed or buckled carpet, as well as
obstructions left unattended along the walkways.
Slipping this commonly caused by spills on the floor
leaving it wet and presence of small objects like pen caps or
paper clips that are left scattered.
Falling this accidents are usually caused by improper use
of office furnishing or equipment being used as step ladder

Fire
this kind of hazard is the most dreaded because of its
potential to cause heavy to catastrophic damage, or even total
loss to properties and lives. Common cause of fire are generally
electrical faults.
Ergonomic Injuries
this kind of hazard is often ignored but perhaps the one that
most cause of long-term injuries if not addressed. This may
happen to your hips and back due to poor posture while doing
your work. Injuries related to this kind of hazard is generally
called work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSDs). This
can be called as many names like below:
*Repetitive motion injuries
*Overuse syndromes
*Repetitive strain injuries
* Regional musculosketal

Improper
Workstation
Ergonomics

Proper
Workstation
Ergonomics

Proper
Workstati
on
Ergonomi
cs

Eye Strain
this is one of the most common risk
present in the workplace even at home.
While this hazard could be inevitable,
there still some thins or practices we can
do to minimized it, especially in the
workplace. Below are the some of
practices we can do to minimized eye
strain.
* Reduce glare in monitors by lowering
light levels or by closing blinds on
windows.
* Adjust monitors position slightly
below eye level at appropriate angle.
* take a 5-10 minute break for every

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Not because you work in an air-conditioned room means that
your workplace is safe and free from risks cause by poor indoor
quality air. Common risks involved in this kind of hazard ranges
from allergies, chemical sensitivity to occupational asthma and
other respiratory disorder. This can cause generally, by poor
housekeeping and maintenance that promotes build-up of
harmful gases, particulates and microbial contaminants. One of
the cause of this hazard is overcrowding, it affects the humidity
and temperature of the room. IAQ is all about cleanliness and
hygiene. Other ways of controlling it are through the use of
various equipment and appliances like air conditioners, heaters
(for cold places) and other ventilating machines.

Systems For Controlling Hazards

There are a lot of kinds of hazards, so too does controlling
them use different systems.
These include:
Engineering Control - involves controlling the hazard right
at its source. Whenever applicable and feasible, the
equipment and facility used to perform the job is
customized, fabricated, or manufactured in such a way that
it removes, isolates, or minimizes the risk involved. In an
office environment, use of ergonomics seats and tables or
other office equipment that can be adjusted not only for
convenience but also to reduce physical stress while
performing the work is part of an engineering control.
Safe Work Practices this perhaps is the most cost effective
and practical system that can be implemented, it involves

Continue
Administrative Controls this type of control goes hand in
hand with safe work practices. Though seemingly the same,
administrative control may refer to additional measures or
organizational policies.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while the use if PPE
may not be a necessity when working in an office
environment , it might be noteworthy to know what PPEs
are and what king of PPE applies to specific tasks.

Continue
Systems to Track Hazard Correction - this refers to a welldefine system of identifying, tracking, and documenting
hazards and the corrections made to reduce, if not to
completely eliminate it. This could be in the form of a simple
form
document,
a spreadsheet,
or a database.
System
Hazards
Assigned
Interim
Action
____________

Description/Locat
ion

to

Action

Completed

____________

____________

____________

__________

Preventive Maintenance Systems - a good and reliable

preventive maintenance program should be in place to ensure
that hazard controls currently implemented are always
functioning well. This involves strict, regular monitoring and
replacements of controls that are in place even before it needs

Continue
Emergency Preparation an emergency is a situation where
a threat to life or property is present. This is mostly an
unsuspecting or unexpected event such as an accident or
an event brought by natural calamity or disaster like
typhoons and quakes. Essential part of this preparation is
on keeping communication lines open to appropriate
parties involved in emergency response and relief.
Medical Programs this is an important part of health and
safety system. Such program can be either be in-house, like
in large organizations, or through certain arrangements
with local medical facility. Other than medical treatment,
in case of emergencies, medical programs control and
promote the general health of the workers in an

Maintaining Workplace Health and Safety

building and maintaining a culture of safety is essential in
any organization regardless of the size of the organization.
An essential element in establishing such culture is by
creating a safety committee whose members are coming
from both the management team and the employee body.
Proper and reliable documentation must be maintained in
order to manage and promote the general health and safety
of all employees in an organization. Every employee must
have his/her own health and safety record and monitored by
management through the safety committee.
Emergency Assistance
one of the best practices in maintaining safety in the
workplace is keeping the communication lines open and

Lesson Test: Matching type: Match column A with column B.

Write the letter of correct answer on a sheet of paper.
A. Identifying Hazards
A
B
1. Tripping
a. Electrical faults ranging from equipment failure,
2. Slipping
overloading of convenience outlets and extension
3. Falling
cords, frayed cable or exposed wiring
4. Fire
b. Loose overhead fixtures; tossing tools and objects
5. Ergonomic
between co-workers
Injuries
c. Allergies, chemical sensitivity, occupational asthma,
6. Eye Strain
and respiratory disorder.
7. Indoor Air
d. Wires running down near or through the walkways or
Quality
aisle
e. Spills on the floor leaving it wet and presence of small
objects like pen caps or paper clips that are left
scattered
f. Staring at computer screens for long periods of time

B. Controlling Hazards
A
B
1. Engineering
a. A well-defined system of identifying, tracking, and
Control
documenting hazards and the corrections made to
2. Safe work
reduce. If not to completely eliminate.
Practices
b. Helmets, gloves, and safety shoes or rubber boots
3. Administrative c. Conducting or participating in fire and quake drills
Control
d. Use of ergonomic seats and tables or other office
4. PPE
equipment that can be adjusted to reduce physical
5. Systems to
stress while performing the work.
Track Hazard
e. Programs controls and promote the general health of
Correction
the workers in an organizations.
6. Preventive
f. Additional measures or organizational policies that aim
Maintenance
to reduced hazards and risks organization-wide.
Systems
g. Establishing certain rules and regulations regarding
7. Emergency
carrying out all task in a safe manner.
Preparation
h. Strict, regular monitoring and replacements of controls
8. Medical
that are in place even before it need repair.